How long does it take to apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship and how much does it cost?

A Certificate of Sponsorship can only be assigned to someone who holds one of the following visas:

In 2015, Theresa May enacted the UK’s latest immigration policy aimed at reducing the number of skilled migrants in favor of less qualified applicants. The Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa, Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa, and Tier 1 (Investor) visas were all replaced with a single new one: the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa. In other words, if your job fell under any of those three categories, it was replaced by an entirely different category; you can no longer apply for that specific visa.

It’s important to note that this includes jobs in tech companies. If your tech startup was founded two years ago or more, you’ll need to look at getting an entrepreneur or investor visa instead. The same goes for universities who wish to sponsor international students; they’d have to hope to attract someone willing to invest a certain amount into their university in order to work full-time as a student there.

Although some visas are still available for investor and entrepreneurs in the US and Canada, the UK is definitely making it harder for people who want to start businesses over there

How long does it take to apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship and how much does it cost?

Employers that are interested in recruiting a non-EEA national to work for them will first need to get a certificate of sponsorship (COS) issued. This act, while it may sound simple, actually requires quite a bit of effort. The general requirements for an employer to obtain a certificate of sponsorship include:

What types of jobs do not require the employer to have or apply for the certificate?

Only certain categories of employment are exempt from needing this certification. An employer does not have to apply for a COS when filling the job with:

A job that is listed under Schedule 2 is not required by law to have a work permit or visa in order for the employee to work there. However, if they wish, their employers can still apply and receive sponsorship documentation through the UK Border Agency. The applicant must be eligible under the following conditions:

If all other conditions are met, then your application will be assessed by UK Visas & Immigration’s Points Based System (PBS). Your application will be given points based on various items such as: where you are located; your previous qualifications; and whether you have obtained any particular skills or training within the past year. Be sure to include all necessary information when applying so that your chances of getting approved are as high as possible!